Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice, on 19 October 2012:

(1) How many departmental representatives attended meetings with Tenix executives, the Tenix subsidiary in the Philippines and Philippines Government representatives regarding the company's successful bid to supply search and rescue vehicles to the Philippines Coast Guard between 1996 and 2004?

(2) When and where did each of the meetings occur?

(3) Did departmental representatives meet with the Philippines Government to arrange for the coast guard to be administered by the Department of Transport, rather than the navy; if so, when and where did each of the meetings occur?

(4) Following the discovery by Filipino Senator Franklin Drilon in 2005, that the 2000 contracts for a further six search and rescue vessels had never been approved by Congress as required by law, did any departmental representatives meet with Philippines Government officials to discuss the suspension of loan repayments; if so, when and where did each of the meetings occur?

(5) What representations were made by departmental representatives to the Philippines Government or Members of Congress in relation to the loan repayments, and what was the negotiated outcome of those discussions?

(6) When and how did the Government and/or Congress lift the suspension and start repayments again?